1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a guard for the toes of a human foot. When a toe is injured, or when some or all of the toes have undergone surgery, the toes must be protected against impacts, not only such as occurs when the toes are stubbed, but from contact with all objects. At the same time, the toes should be unconfined so that healing air may freely circulate through and around them. It is also desirable that they be unrestricted to permit mild exercise by small, controlled movements without striking their protective covering. The disclosed and claimed invention satisfies the desiderata.
2. Description of Related Art
When an arm or leg, hand or foot, or finger or toe becomes injured, it is customary to bandage it to protect it against further damage. For arms legs, hands, and feet this usually takes the form of a cast, but casts for fingers and toes are usually contra-indicated. Instead, a guard is attached to the hand or foot with the guard surrounding the injured finger or toe.
Representative of prior art guards for fingers and toes are the U.S. patents to George (U.S. Pat. No. 1,375,690), Pruett (U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,830), Storer (U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,659), Fredrickson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,715), Shaffner (U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,208), Cohen (U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,069), and Gibbons (U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,475), all of record.
George discloses a finger guard made of rigid sheet metal, preferably aluminum, comprising a U-shaped body which entirely covers the top and bottom of a finger with the sides of the two arms being curved to grip and substantially cover both sides of the finger. When the guard is secured to a bandaged finger by a strip of adhesive tape, the bight of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d is spaced from the tip of the finger. The guard of George differs considerably from the disclosed invention. First, George""s finger guard is designed to fit a single finger in order to protect it while permitting free use of the rest of the hand; the disclosed invention is secured to the foot in order to protect from one to all of the toes. Second, the finger guard binds the top, bottom, and both sides of the finger, applying pressure to all but the tip of the finger; the toe guard contacts only the instep and ball of the foot, leaving the injured toes free from external contacts. Third, George""s guard is attached to the base of the finger, so the vibrations from an imposed blow to the guard are transmitted to the finger bone and are therethrough returned to the injured portion of the finger, the very digit it is supposed to protect; the inventor""s guard is anchored remote from the injured toe or toes to a larger, more absorbent part of the foot, so impacts are dampened before they can return to the toes. Fourth, George""s finger guard is made of a rigid sheet of metallic material, which grips the finger like a brace or splint, holding the finger rigidly against movement; the disclosed toe guard is made of a plastic sheet which is flexible in order to bend to facilitate comfortable walking while rigidly opposing potentially damaging blows.
Pruett discloses a toe-covering sock which is attached to a cast by elastic straps. The sock is also made from an elastic material. The sock and straps combine to pull the sock against the toes which can apply painful pressure to sore toes. It covers them but does not protect them from injury. A thick sole is attached to the sock for walking, but it is not disclosed as being sufficient to perform a protective function. The instant toe guard is spaced from the toes, allowing them freedom from contact with surrounding structure while simultaneously shielding them from outside objects striking the toes.
Storer discloses a toe guard for keeping bedding away from the feet and toes when sleeping; it is not intended to prevent injury to the toes during normal activities while awake. Storer""s guard band comprises a somewhat resilient, narrow, elongated element xe2x80x9cshaped as an open loop to fit around the planform outline of the foot.xe2x80x9d The disclosure affirms that the band has xe2x80x9csufficient stiffness to retain its form while supporting bending,xe2x80x9d but it is not clear whether or not the loop will collapse into the toes under the force of a frontal impact. A heel cup is strapped to the foot by an instep strap and releaseably, adjustably supports the guard band, raising the question of whether the band could sustain a force applied to the toe loop without disengaging from the heel cup. The toe guard of Storer also exposes the top and sole of the foot, leaving the toes unprotected from objects on the floor that they may step on and from objects which may fall on them from above. The instant invention protects the toes from below, above, and from most intrusions from the sides.
Fredrickson et al. disclose a soft toe guard which is designed for protecting the toes during martial arts kicking. As such, the toe guard""s protective cup has inner surfaces contoured to fit the hills and valleys of the foot from instep to arch to bind them together for increased rigidity, the same reason that a boxer""s hands are taped. Straps hold the toe guard solidly against the toes and the foot. It is not intended to shield the toes from outside forces, merely to bind them together into a more compact, more solid, unified whole.
Shaffner discloses a toe guard comprising rails attached to opposite sides of a cast or surgical shoe with rails connected across the front of the toes. Unlike the disclosed invention, Shaffner""s rails do not protect the top nor bottom of the foot, and an object can easily penetrate between the front rails to further injure the toes. Further, Shaffner""s rails must be supported by being attached to a cast on the foot. The inventive toe guard disclosed herein is attached directly to the foot.
Cohen discloses a rigid toe guard having a foot support, an enclosed toe cap, and a top tongue. The toe guard is either strapped to a foot, in which case it pulls the toe cap against the toes, or releasably connected to a surgical shoe, in which case the shoe prevents the toe guard from sliding relative to the foot. It is not flexible, it rubs against the toes, and it requires a shoe to maintain it from sliding on the foot.
Gibbons discloses a rigid toe guard comprising a solid cap which just covers the toes. The toe guard either fits within a surgical shoe or is held on by elastic straps which pulls the guard into contact with the toes. Holes provide ventilation. It is not flexible, rubs against the toes, and either requires a shoe to maintain it from sliding on the foot or a strap which pulls it against the toes.
The present invention overcomes the difficulties described above by providing a unitary toe guard which completely covers the bottom, front, and top of the toes while being maintained spaced therefrom. It is a flexible sheet of plastic which bends with the foot while walking but rigidly shields the toes from outside contacts.
It is an object of the invention to provide a toe guard which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and effective in practice.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a toe guard which comprises an integral structure made from a flexible sheet of plastic material.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a toe guard which covers all of the toes and protects them from injuries due to stubbing the toes, from stepping on objects on the ground, and from objects falling onto the toes.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a toe guard which can be trimmed to fit the foot.